Adjustable shoe tree



Jan. 8, 1952 H, HAUERT 2,581,952

I ADJUSTABLE SHOE TREE Filed NOV. 3, 1949 INVENTOR. HE NRY HAUERT.

ArmRA/Ex Patented Jan. 8, 1952 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

Henry. 115cm, Gjfi'ttenherg, N, J., asslgnor to Fortune. Brothers, North Bergen,;N; J." Application November a, 1949, serial-No. 125.309.

1 This invention relates, to an adjustable shoe tree.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a self-ventilating, shoe tree which is readily adjustable to shoes and, other articles of footwear of different lengths. It provide a onepoint contact with respect to the inner sole of the shoe and a onerpoint contact with, respect to its heel, and aside from these two pointsof contact, the inner sole and the. heel are free from ene gagement with the shoe, tree.

Another important object of, the present invention is the provision of a shoe tree of the character described, which is exceedingly simpl in its, construction inamanner which is advantageous both from the point of view of its manufacturer and from the point of view of theperson using it. In its simplest form, the shoe tree herein described and claimed, consists of but two parts which are adjustably movable relative to each other. One of the component parts of this shoe tree is provided with a plurality of teeth formed therein and the other component part is provided with one or more teeth situated for so lective engagement with the teeth of the first mentioned part and it. is by this means that the two parts 'may be adjusted and positioned r'ela-i tive to eachother. One of the parts is provided with a pad for engaging the inner sole of the shoe in which the shoe tree is placed, it is provided with a second pad or portion which engages the heel, and it is provided with a third pad or portion which engages the counter. The other part of the shoe tree is situated and shaped to engage the upper, and more specifically, the toe and instep portions thereof;

The shoe tree constituting the present invention is ideally adapted for mass produotionlnothods of manufacture on plastic molding equipment. In its preferred form it comprises a pair of hollow plastic moldings, each molding consisting of two molded parts which are cemented together to conceal the enclosed hollow space. There is no real assembly problem. Many of the parts which are common to conventional shoe trees, are here lacking. For example, therev are no pivots on lever arms in the present construce tion although it would be diflic'ultindeed, if not impossible, to find a conventional adjustablev shoe treewhich does not have these elements.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a shoe tree of the character described which is readily insertible into, and removable roman article of footwear, irrespec' sti've oiQits,

length and physical properties; The shoe has 2 can; (01.12%:28)

, '2 herein claimed may be made shorter or longer by simply sliding one of its parts relative to the other part. It may be locked in operative, position at any selected length by simply allowing the teeth of its respective parts to engage each other.

Preferred forms of this invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawingsinwhich: Fig. l isa side view of a shoetree madein accordance with the first form-of this invention showing it mounted within a shoe. Fig. .2 is a sectional view taken on the; line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing that said. shoe tree may; have ahcllow construction. v Fig. 3 isan exploded view of:v said shoe tree, one of the component partsthereofheing shown only in part to disclose itsconstruction. i Fig. 4 is another exploded view, taken insection on a transverselinesimilar to that of 2-2 o f Fig., 1, showingthe componen t parts of the shoe tree before they are assembled; n

Fig. 5 is a side View, similar to the. of Fig. 1 of a shoe tree madein accordance witha second form of this invention. v a

Fig. 6 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. '7 is a secticnalview onthe line l -1 oi Fig. 5, showingthat the shoe tree may be solid in construction. v

Fig. 8 is a perspective view ofa shoe tree made in accordance with a third form of this invention. Referring now to the firstform of thisinven tion and to Figs 1 tot inclusive, itwill be seen that a shoe tree in madein accordancetherewith, comprises but twocomponentparts: an upperpart ii and a lower part 12;. Actuallmeach component part may be made in two hollow, sece tionswhich are cemented or otherwise fastened together. Thus upper component part il cone sists of hollow sections Hctand: I-lb respectively; and lowercomponent part |2 consists of hollow sections lZcand 1222. respectively. In, the pre: ferred form of this invention, these several hole low sections. are. molded ofsuitable plastics and then cemented, together. Astrong hollow OQlle struction of excellent appearanc res lt .1; should not, however, be assumedthat thepresent shoe tree may he made; only this-manner and of this. material, since it may readily be madein accordance with different methods and of other materials. Nor should it be assumed that, the present shoe tree; must have, ahollow COIISQ'HG? tion, as witness the shoe trees made; in accord: t wi h t eeco and i dfo msoffithis Yemeni. 3. J;

Upper member II is shaped at lts forward end to correspond to the shape of the toe and instep portions of the upper l of a shoe "3 or other formed at the back end of channel I9 to close the channel, or at least to bridge it, at that point.

The lower part [2 of the'shoe tree comprises an elongated member having a downwardly extending pad 30 at its forward end and a downwardly extending portion or pad 3| at its back end. Its back end also curves upwardly and then forwardly to form a horn-shaped projection 32. A plurality of teeth'33 is formed along the top edge of said lower member l2. It will be noted in Fig; 2 that channel H) of upper member [I is adapted to accommodate that portion of lower member l2 which projects forwardly of downwardly extending portion or pad 3|. More specifically, the dimensions of said channel and of said lower member l2 are such as to enable the lower member to move longitudinally of the upper member in said channel I9. Bridge2| serves as a retaining member to prevent dislodgement of said lower member |2 from said channel IS. The bridge does not, however, prevent a limited rocking movement of said lower member l2 in said channel IS on a vertical plane and the forward end of said lower member I2 is rounded on its upper surface to facilitate such rocking movement.

' i When the lower member is mounted in the channel of the upper member and the two members are pressed together, tooth 2|l'enters one of the notches separating teeth 33 and thereby locks-the two members against relative longitudinal movement. The overall length of the shoe tree depends upon which notch tooth engages and it will be understood that any one of the notches may be selected so that the shoe tree may conform to the inside dimensions of the article of footwear into which it is to be inserted.

When the shoe tree above described is inserted into an article of footwear, pad of lower member I2 engages the inner sole of said article of footwear, downwardly projecting portion or pad 3| engages the heel 4| and the upwardly curved horn-shaped portion 32 engages the counter 42. The toe and instep shaped portion ll of the upper member [I engages the toe and instep portions |5 of the upper of said article of footwear. In other words, the tendency of upper member II is to press downwardly upon lower member l2 and the tendency of said lower member is to press upwardly against the upper member. The two members together provide a wedge-like-effect upon the article of footwear and thereby maintain said article of footwear in properly supported and mildly stressed condition. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the entire inner sole and heel are completely free from contact with the shoe tree except insofar as pads 30 and 3| are concerned. Since these pads are relatively small in their area of contact with said inner sole' and heel, in practical effect virtually the entire inner sole and heel are exposed to the air and adequate ventilation thereof is achieved.

Hook-shaped portion 3 of upper member H may very conveniently be grasped either to adjust the shoe tree in the article of footwear or to remove it therefrom. It has been stated that the two members comprising the shoe tree may be rocked, to a limited extent, relative to each other. It is therefore possible to rock the upper member II in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, by simply grasping hook-shaped portion l8 and pulling upwardly, while at the same time holding the article of footwear and the lower member |2 down. The effect of this action is to free tooth 20 from teeth 33 and to make is possible to move the two members II and I2 longitudinally of each other. The shoe tree may thereby be lengthened or shortened, as desired, and may also thereby be removed from the article of footwear. When it is lengthened and wedged into the forward end of the said article of footwear, the effect is to cause the upper member II to rock, so to speak, in counter-clockwise direction, thereby causing tooth 20 to engage one of the spaces or notches separating teeth 33. The shoe tree is now locked in position.

The shoe tree shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 is similar in principle to the shoe tree first above described. It is, however, made of solid material, such as wood, as Fig. 7 clearly shows. Bridge 50 may comprise a metal plate which is screw-ed to the upper member 5| of said shoe tree. Tooth 53 may consist of another metal plate which is press fitted into a transverse slot formed in said upper member 5|. Lower member 54 may be similar to lower member l2 above described except that it is solid in construction rather than hollow. In all other important respects, the present shoe tree is similar to the shoe tree first above described.

Shoe tree 55 shown in Fig. 8 is similar to the shoe tree shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 except that instead of having only a single tooth, upper member 56 has a plurality of teeth 51 which are adapted to engage a plurality of teeth 58 formed in lower member 59. Also, it will be noted, that the shape of teeth 51 and 58 differs from the shape of teeth 33 of the first form of this invention and the corresponding teeth of the second form. The advantage of providing a plurality of teeth both on the upper member and on the lower member of the shoe tree resides in the fact that a wider range of adjustments may thereby be had.

It will be observed from the foregoing that a highly satisfactory and efficient shoe tree is herein disclosed. In efiect it consists only of two members which are adjustable relative to each other. The innerv sole engaging pad, and also the heel engaging portion of the lower member provide only a minimum of contact between the shoe tree and the inner sole and heel portions of any article of foot wear into which the shoe tree may be inserted. Only two elements are provided for preventing dislodgement of the lower member from the channel of the upper member: one is the bridge across the channel of the upper member and the other is the downwardly extending pad of the lower member. These are features of great importance but it should not be assumed that the manner in which these features are executed in the three forms of the invention shown in the drawing, is limitative of said invention. Instead, these forms of the invention are merely preferred illustrations thereof and modifications may be incorporated therein within the broad scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree comprising two relatively adjustable shoe-engaging members, one of said members being situated above the other member and having a. longitudinal channel formed therein to accommodate the forward end of said other member in slideable relation thereto and to guide the longitudinal movements of the two members relative to each other, the upper member having a downwardly extending tooth and the lower member having a plurality of upwardly extending teeth situated for engagement with the downwardly extending tooth of the upper member for adjustably fixing the relative positions of said upper and lower members, the upper member being supported by the lower member so as to engage only the toe and instep portions of the upper of the shoe into which said shoe tree is inserted, the lower member being provided with a small downwardly extending pad at its forward end which engages the insole of the shoe, a downwardly curved portion at its back end which engages the heel of the shoe, and a backwardly curved portion on its back end which engages the counter of the shoe.

HENRY HAUERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 485,331 Lyons Nov. 1, 1892 528,296 Howard Oct. 30, 1894 651,193 Lennox June 5, 1900 673,492 Belcher May 7, 1901 894,730 Dion Jan. 26, 1903 1,010,685 Peterson Dec. 5, 1911 1,503,653 Hurt Aug. 5, 1924 1,561,982 Kaye Nov. 17, 1925 2,381,419 Atlass Aug. '7, 1945 2,501,285 Minton Mar. 21, 1950 

